Bhutan's Sonam Yeshey Scripts T20 History With Unprecedented Eight-Wicket Haul against Myanmar

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Bhutan left-arm spinner Sonam Yeshey etched his name into cricket history on Monday (December 29) by becoming the first bowler ever to claim eight wickets in a T20 match, across men's or women's cricket, in international fixtures or domestic competitions.

The 22-year-old achieved the extraordinary feat during the third T20I against Myanmar at Gelephu Mindfulness City, returning astonishing figures of 8 for 7 from four overs. His spell powered Bhutan to a dominant victory as Myanmar were bundled out for just 45 while chasing Bhutan's modest total of 127 for 9.

A Feat Never Seen Before in T20 Cricket

Yeshey's performance took T20 bowling into uncharted territory. Prior to this match, the best figures in men's T20 internationals stood at seven wickets, achieved only twice - by Syazrul Idrus (7/8 for Malaysia vs China in 2023) and Ali Dawood (7/19 for Bahrain vs Bhutan in 2025).

Even outside international cricket, seven-wicket hauls had been recorded just twice in men's T20s, by Colin Ackermann (7/18 for Leicestershire in 2019) and Taskin Ahmed (7/19 in the Bangladesh Premier League in 2025). Yeshey's eight-wicket haul now stands alone at the top of the T20 bowling charts.

Context From Women's T20 Cricket

In women's T20 cricket, the best bowling figures remain 7 for 0, achieved by Rohmalia of Indonesia against Mongolia in 2024. Only a handful of other seven-wicket hauls have been recorded in women's internationals, underlining the rarity of such performances across formats.

The match was part of a one-sided series in which Yeshey has been the standout performer. At the end of the third T20I, he has already taken 12 wickets from four matches, with the final game scheduled for Monday.

Yeshey made his T20I debut in July 2022 against Malaysia, announcing himself with figures of 3 for 16. While wickets did not initially flow at such a prolific rate, his latest effort has propelled his career tally to 37 wickets from 34 T20 internationals, a remarkable return for a spinner from an emerging cricket nation.

A Landmark Moment

Yeshey's historic spell is more than a personal milestone - it is a defining moment for Bhutan cricket, placing the country firmly on the global cricket map. In a format known for favouring batters, his eight-wicket haul stands as a reminder that even in T20 cricket, bowlers can still rewrite history.